Page 77 of Break the Barrier
“Good, I’m gonna get a dance out of her yet.”
Stetson has had a hopeless crush on Annmarie for a good long while now, and while he hasn’t made it a secret, Annmarie has not once shown any sign that she was receptive to those feelings.
“Don’t push it, Stets.”
“I’m not.” He glares at me, both because I’m telling him to back off and because of the nickname he hates. Better than the one I called him when he was a baby. Little Stetsy hates that nickname. “I’m just going to be honest about how I feel and take it from there.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “Fine but wait until after the ceremony.”
“No shit.”
We head over to the empty apartment above the old barn to shower up. It was once Graham’s place, then Dani and CT’s before their house was finished, and now it sits empty so we can use it to get ready.
Showered and cleaned up, we put on our freshly polished boots and cleaned straw hats and head back over to Cal’s, where the ceremony will take place.
A short brunette woman is ordering people around, setting up the area where I assume the ceremony will take place.
“Good, extra muscle. Derek! Get these two to work,” the short lady demands, and Derek, one of Graham’s best friends from the military, comes over, shaking our hands.
“She’s kinda scary,” Stetson says to Derek, nodding at the woman several feet behind him.
Derek grins. “Who, Rachel? Nah. She’s a piece of cake.”
We take his word for it and move to help line up chairs for the ceremony. I watch it all come together, and there’s a tug in my chest, something clicking into place after watching it, and I have a feeling that same tug will happen when I see Thea today.
My cousin deserves this day, and so does CT. I was happy for them.
CT comes out, and we shake his hand, ribbing him about being nervous. Rachel and the photographer come over and hand us all beers just as Graham arrives, and all us groomsmen cheers before we take our drink. The photographer clicks around us, but we focus on CT, doing our best to lighten the nerves that are visible on his face.
Finally, the time has come, and Graham’s friends usher people to their seats before bringing out the family members not in the wedding. My mom is ushered in, and I smile at her from where I stand at the front. Apparently, it’s customary for the men to stand at the front instead of walking down the aisle, and I’m okay with that.
I see the moment Thea arrives with her sisters, and my breath catches in my throat. Her hair is down in long curls, and she’s wearing a flowy blue dress that lays across her body just right. My mouth waters at the sight.
“Don’t get too excited there, Logan,” Stetson whispers to me as I watch Thea grab the arm of one of the ushers and get seated.
I elbow him and unintentionally glance at my mom, who gives us both the look. I straighten up.
Finally, it’s time for Dani to walk down the aisle, and I smile when I see her casually walk down, smiling broadly and not concerned at all with walking to the beat of the music. I glance at my future cousin and see him grinning back at her, his eyes only slightly misty.
The ceremony is quick and sweet and to the point. Dani and CT say a few words to each other, making the audience laugh, and like everyone else, I let out a breath when they’re finally married.
All of us have waited for this moment since they were fifteen years old, and to finally see it happening, is the closing of a chapter.
After they’re announced man and wife, we make our way back down the aisle. I hook my elbow with Amy’s, one of Dani’s good friends from showing all these years, and she points to Thea as we pass. “She your girl?”
I nod proudly. “She sure is.” I wink as we pass, and she continues to clap with everyone else, smiling at me.
“Well, grab her then,” Amy says, releasing my arm and taking off.
I pause for two seconds before I reach my hand out to Thea, and she hesitates for a moment before she grasps my hand in hers and lets me pull her into the aisle.
She walks down the aisle with me, and I smile down at her as we go. She looks up at me, and her lips break out into a grin.
We join the wedding party, and Dani gives her a big hug, hugging me second.
“Congratulations, you are a beautiful bride.”
Her words niggle at me, and I frown, wishing that I could have given Thea something like this instead of what we did.
